1. Field of the Invention
This invention refers to refrigeration systems, and in particular, to snap together insulated panels for walk-in freezers and cooler applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Snap together panels for walk-in freezers and coolers were initially designed for general construction applications, such as awnings and roofs. These types of panels have major deficiencies when used for walk-in freezers and cooler applications. First, the present snap together panels are difficult to install. As the current snap together panels were basically designed for roofing applications, they were meant to be installed horizontally. Therefore, when trying to install these panels vertically to form the walls of a cooler, which could be as tall as 16 feet, they become extremely difficult to control when trying to push the panels together and get the metal associated with the panels to connect together and hold the panels in place. Additionally, this makes it apparent that the metal designs used in snapping the panels to one another are not appropriate for vertical applications.
Further, in many designs when the panels are finally snapped together, they still are not held firmly in place by the interlocking metal. There is a significant amount of play, which makes the insulation of the subsequent panel even more difficult. Some versions of snap together paneling use a vertical spline to hold the panels to one another in a more secure structure. Use of the spline increases the cost and labor involved in the installation. In other paneling systems, screws are actually used to hold the panels in place permanently, which again increases the cost and time required for the installation.
Sometimes during the installation of walk-in freezers and coolers, it may be necessary to remove some panels from the cooler or freezer and reinstall new panels in their place. In most current snap together panel designs, this is extremely difficult to do and usually results in damage to the panel. In some cases, the damage is severe enough that the panels can no longer be used. This is due to the inaccuracy of the metal design for snapping together the insulated panels.
Another problem with present day snap together panels is that they make it difficult to move walk-in freezers and coolers. One of the major selling points for using modular panels in the construction of walk-in freezers and coolers is the ease of moving the room or rooms should it become necessary. With the present design of snap together panels, this becomes virtually impossible for the reasons stated above.
Another problem has to do with the condensation and heat infiltration around the seams between the panels. In some designs the amount of insulation in the seam area between the panels is less than the actual width of the panel. The amount and type of insulation required in a panel is calculated based on a temperature, which the room must maintain, and the size of equipment to be installed. If the proper amount of insulation is not present throughout the room, then heat is allowed to infiltrate from outside and two things can occur. First, condensation forms and can create puddles of water on the floor, which is a safety hazard to those working in or around the freezers or coolers. In the case of a freezer, these puddles may become frozen, creating a very dangerous situation for those going in and out of the room. Secondly, if the heat infiltration is severe enough, the room may be unable to hold the desired temperature with the equipment installed. Also, if the seam between the panels is not held securely, then the seal provided by using caulkings and silicones can be disturbed enough to allow air to infiltrate from the outside. This problem becomes accentuated when the room must maintain lower temperatures.
Most present day snap together panels use a variety of configuration of metal skins that extend from the end of the insulation core for interaction with the complimentary end on an adjacent panel. Most of these configurations curl around one another, so as to prevent any moisture passing through the seams of the panels. This is because most of the snap together panels were initially designed for roofing applications and/or awning applications. Further caulking is placed inside the metal connectors to create a seal for keeping out moisture. These can cause the metal to bend and become destroyed when replacing panels or moving the freezer or cooler. Finally, placing the connection on the outside of the insulation core causes the heat infiltration problems as discussed above.